Blizzard Project

[Bob G]

The previous owner of our home left a bunch of rods that we've used for staking tomatoes. Since I started brewing I look at everything as "what can I use this for?". Well, they're 1/2" copper! So with today's weather, some BKF, solder, fittings and a beer, tada! A pre-chiller that fits perfectly into an old cooler.
Man, anything to get out of shoveling snow!!!

[Push Eject]

Man, that's a lot of soldering! Very nice prechiller.

Push Eject

[Thirsty Mallard]

Nice. And you didn't have the pesky job of wrapping copper tubing around a corny keg... you may be on to something.

[Bob G]

Thanks!

I had already made a coiled 60' IC and it works great. 210* down to 70* in 20-30 minutes. I just thought adding this one might be nice for lagers or help in summer when the water temps are higher.

Bob

[macgruffus]

That's awesome! Some would say a work of art.

I had been envious of the prechiller a guy in my homebrew club uses based on a heater core from the auto supply shop but I think this one beats that.

However, when I go to do my pre-chiller...I'm doing the auto shop route. Too lazy for all the soldering.

David

[Bob G]

Soldering was tedious, but cleaning the copper was awful!
I soaked the parts in vinegar for two days and it barely touched it. So I used good ol' BKF and it shined it right up.

[DannyW]

I tried the automotive heater core for a prechiller once, and won't bother again. Wasn't very efficient, and sprung a leak after not too many uses. Even though it had a lifetime warranty I didn't bother to go get another one.

I switched to pumping icewater through my existing chiller and have been much happier.

[macgruffus]

I was also thinking of just making two copper coils and use one as a pre-chiller...

tap to prechiller in a bucket of ice water to immersion chiller in kettle

a simple coil of copper has got to be less than a heater coil.

David